Kumagawa Railway

The Yunomae Line (湯前線, Yunomae-sen) is a railway line in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, connecting Hitoyoshi-Onsen Station in Hitoyoshi and Yunomae Station in Yunomae. It is the only railway line operated by the third sector Kumagawa Railroad (くま川鉄道, Kumagawa Tetsudō). As the company name suggests, the line parallels the Kuma River. The company is also called Kumatetsu (くま鉄). The company took former JR Kyushu line in 1989.

The entire line was opened by the then Japanese Government Railways in 1924.

Freight services ceased beyond Taragi in 1974, and on the balance of the line in 1980.

The third sector company took over the former JNR line in 1989.

The company's railway operations have not produced an operating profit since its creation in 1989, and in fiscal 2011, it had operating profit losses of 120.76 million yen.

As of June 2012, the company operates a fleet of eight diesel cars. With the exception of two tourist trains, these are scheduled to be replaced by five new diesel cars between fiscal 2013 and 2014. The new trains will be designed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka.

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